Investor-owned electric companies power the lives of nearly 250 million people—nearly 3 in 4 Americans. Every day, they connect more than 3,200 new households and more than 200 new businesses to the grid. They account for 5 percent of U.S. GDP and power the other 95 percent.

It’s no surprise, then, that hundreds of electric company CEOs and senior executives, policymakers and regulators, and technology leaders and innovators traveled to Las Vegas in June for EEI 2026, the industry’s premier conference and thought leadership forum.

At a time when affordability, grid reliability, and rapidly rising demand are dominating policy debates in Washington and across the country, EEI 2026 convened a diverse mix of attendees and leaders to discuss how electric companies are powering the energy of every day while keeping electricity reliable and as affordable as possible.

Happenings in The Hub

From fireside chats to panel discussions and tech talks, The Hub was EEI’s center for networking and technology-driven content. Among the topics on the agenda this year: 

• Powering the Energy of Every Day: Sessions will cover how the industry is delivering customer value and innovating to meet demand growth.
• Generation Landscape: Speakers will discuss America’s generation mix, the role of nuclear technologies, and the potential of virtual power plants.
• Resilience and Reliability: Topics will include grid flexibility, balancing reliability and affordability, and lessons learned from storm seasons past.
• AI+: AI technologies are driving energy demand while reshaping how electric companies serve customers and power the economy.
• Grid-Enhancing Technologies: Panels will focus on innovations that are driving grid intelligence and making the most of existing infrastructure.

Congratulations to Duke Energy, Winners of the 2026 Edison Award!

EEI awarded Duke Energy with the 98th Edison Award for its DeBary Hydrogen Production and Storage System. Presented annually and selected by a panel of former energy industry executives, the Edison Award is the electric power industry’s highest honor. The award was presented in Las Vegas during EEI 2026, the institute’s annual conference and thought leadership forum.

“On behalf of EEI and our member companies, I am proud to congratulate Duke Energy for winning this year’s Edison Award,” said EEI President and CEO Drew Maloney. “By transforming Florida sunshine into stored, on-demand power, this hydrogen project is advancing what’s possible for clean energy storage and helping Duke Energy meet rapidly increasing energy demand while keeping customer costs as low as possible.”

Baltimore Gas & Electric and The AES Corporation were named finalists for the award.

Learn more about this year's winner and finalists.

The electric power industry in January activated its largest mutual assistance effort since Hurricanes Helene and Milton in 2024.

More than 65,000 workers from at least 44 states deployed in response to Winter Storm Fern, according to EEI. The storm brought frigid arctic air, heavy snowfall, and icy conditions to more than 200 million Americans.

Through the CEO-led Electricity Subsector Coordinating Council, EEI and industry leaders coordinated with the highest levels of government, including at the U.S. Departments of Energy and Homeland Security, to ensure unity of effort in responding to the storm and restoring power to impacted communities.

EEI recently joined the American Public Power Association and the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association in issuing a joint press release highlighting the breadth of industry response, explaining the mutual assistance process, and outlining how electric companies partner during extreme weather to keep customers safe.

Read the full release below, and visit eei.org for the latest updates on Winter Storm Fern.

The investor-owned member electric companies of the Edison Electric Institute (EEI) play a critical role in powering the lives of nearly 250 million Americans each day. Throughout 2025, EEI’s member companies showcased how they are working for their communities by helping to lower costs, supporting the nation’s economic growth, strengthening the energy grid, and investing in the future.

See below for some of the ways EEI member companies have showcased their commitment to their communities and workforces. EEI also will be sharing these stories on our social channels as we count down to 2026—find them on X, Facebook, and LinkedIn.

Entergy: Data Center Drives Down Local Rates

As more AI data centers connect to the grid, Entergy showcases how the projects it powers will create direct benefits not just for customers, but for residents of the states it serves for generations to come.

Duke Energy: Significant Progress Restoring the Grid After Hurricane Helene

One year after Hurricane Helene devastated Asheville, N.C., Duke Energy highlights the significant progress made by its lineworkers to restrengthen the grid.

Exelon: Customer Relief Program Benefits Customers and Local Businesses

Exelon’s Customer Relief Fund helps low-income customers, which in turn benefits local businesses in its service territories—including Midnite Confections + Cupcakery in Baltimore, Md.

Puget Sound Energy: Apprenticeships Lead to Full-Time Employment

Puget Sound Energy’s Pathways to Apprenticeship series shares the different apprenticeships offered by the company, and features employees sharing their favorite parts of the job.

Pacific Gas & Electric: Customer Dollars Directly Contribute to Infrastructure Reliability

Through their “Your Energy Dollars at Work” series, Pacific Gas & Electric highlights how customers’ dollars directly contribute to infrastructure projects that keep the energy system safe, reliable, and climate-resilient.

Xcel Energy: Reliable Energy Powers Local Businesses Like Red Wings Shoes

For more than a century, Xcel Energy’s reliable, essential energy has powered the production of Red Wings Shoes’ high-quality leather boots. 

American Electric Power: Drones Help Power Reliability for Customers

The integration of drone technology has transformed how AEP Ohio maintains the grid—helping to prevent and shorten outages, improving operational efficiency, and keeping its crews and communities safe. 

Arizona Public Service: Employees Provide Live Bill Assistance During Phone Bank

In Summer 2025, Arizona Public Service partnered with local media to host a live phone bank, where employees took customer calls, answered questions, and offered on-the-spot ways to save on energy bills.

Con Edison: Reliable Service Keeps a Favorite Local Business Running

Mamitas, a local favorite in New York, depends on Con Edison’s reliable energy service to keep its equipment running smoothly and its freezers cold, so it can produce its fan-favorite ice pops.

This National Ice Cream Day, we’re honoring Mamita’s Ices — a 25-year NYC family business rooted in Dominican tradition. See how reliable energy keeps their sweet moments refreshingly cool everywhere: https://t.co/xT6MZRlrq7 pic.twitter.com/Py9vKfOrb9

— Con Edison (@ConEdison) July 20, 2025

Ameren – Restoring Customer Power After a Tornado Event

After a tornado hit Ameren’s service territory earlier this year, impacting energy infrastructure and customer homes and businesses, the company deployed 1,900 workers to quickly and safely restore power.

Hawaiian Electric: Employees Are the Fabric of the Community

Hawaiian Electric’s employees make up the fabric of the community and its commitment to its customers—including Mikey Burke and Kaulana Anderson, who were impacted by the Lahaina fires. 

ITC Transmission: Restoring Transmission Service After Severe Winter Weather

After severe winter weather swept across Michigan and affected 23 transmission lines and 17 substations, ITC Transmission crews coordinated with local partners and worked around the clock to safely and quickly restore transmission service.

OG&E: A Career Journey in Energy, From Internship to Engineering

Anne and Ayden share their OG&E career journeys from internships to full-time positions in engineering and operations. 

Southern Company: Making Significant Investments to Meet Demand Growth

Southern Company highlights the investments made in advanced technologies and renewable energy to meet the significant demand growth in its service territories. 

NorthWestern Energy – Osprey Conservation Work Featured in Children’s Book

NorthWestern Energy Content Development Specialist Erin wrote Oliver the Osprey, a children’s book that highlights the osprey conservation work NorthWestern Energy provides to help the company deliver a critical service and maintain reliability. 

This year, EEI was thrilled to welcome CNBC Senior National Correspondent Brian Sullivan, co-anchor of “Power Lunch," to EEI's Financial Conference. Sullivan interviewed industry leaders throughout the event, hosted a CEO leadership panel, and brought the event's critical conversations to a national audience.

Scroll through for highlights from EEI member company leaders' interviews with CNBC:

EEI President and CEO Drew Maloney

Pacific Gas & Electric Company CEO Patti Poppe

NextEra Energy Chairman, President, and CEO John Ketchum

Duke Energy President and CEO Harry Sideris

EEI Chair Calvin Butler, President and CEO of Exelon

Edison International President and CEO Pedro J. Pizarro

In late October, the Edison Electric Institute (EEI) announced the winners of this year’s Corporate Citizenship Award during its Powering Engagement conference. Presented annually and selected by a panel of executives, the award recognizes EEI member companies for innovative programs that support the growth and development of the communities they serve. 

This award highlights exceptional projects across three categories: Economic Development, Volunteerism, and Workforce Development. 

“Our member companies don’t just power American homes and businesses—they empower communities,” said EEI President and CEO Drew Maloney. “This year’s award winners reflect our industry’s deep commitment to improving customers’ lives and ensuring the local communities we serve thrive. I’m proud to recognize their extraordinary efforts.” 

Duquesne Light Company (DLC) received the award in the Economic Development category for its Community Impact Grants (CIG) program. The company provides microgrants of up to $10,000 to small nonprofits serving the Pittsburgh region—targeting those that may have otherwise been left out of traditional funding streams due to their size. Since 2021, CIG has awarded more than $1 million to more than 130 organizations addressing needs like food insecurity, housing, education, and resilience. 

“We believe the path to a clean energy future for all includes listening to those closest to the challenges and empowering them with the tools and resources needed to drive change,” said Duquesne Light Company President and CEO Kevin Walker. “The success of our Community Impact Grants reflects the dedication of DLC employees who thoughtfully administer the program and the leadership of the nonprofits doing the work on the ground."

Entergy received the award in the Volunteerism category for its efforts to create a more sustainable Mardi Gras celebration in New Orleans. Entergy and its employees partnered with Grounds Krewe to reduce the more than 2.6 million pounds of waste generated during the annual festivities every year. The initiative has helped recycle more than 50,000 pounds of waste annually and provided nearly 800,000 throws to Mardi Gras organizers last year, which helps to reduce environmental impacts on the city and surrounding communities. 

“We are grateful to be named the 2025 EEI Corporate Citizenship Award winner for volunteerism. Our partnership with Grounds Krewe to create a more sustainable carnival celebration reflects Entergy’s dedication to fostering the growth, development, and well-being of the communities we serve," said Entergy Vice President of Corporate Social Responsibility Patty Riddlebarger. "By embracing initiatives that honor tradition and promote environmental awareness, we are proudly preserving the vibrant spirit of Mardi Gras while reducing the environmental impact.” 

Exelon received the award in the Workforce Development category for its STEM Academy program. Recognizing the need to inspire and support the next generation of talent in the energy sector, the Exelon Foundation launched the STEM Academy in 2018 to introduce teen girls to careers in science, technology, engineering, and math and expanded the effort in 2024 to include boys. To date, 1,240 young women and 60 young men have participated in these free, week-long summer programs, and the foundation has awarded full-ride scholarships to 34 students. 

“We are proud to share this wonderful recognition from EEI with the 1,700 students who have participated in the Exelon Foundation’s STEM Academies so far,” said Exelon Vice President of Corporate Relations and Exelon Foundation President Paula Conrad. “The EEI Corporate Citizenship Award is a celebration of their curiosity, drive, and promising futures. We’re privileged to help open doors and empower the next generation of leaders and innovators in the energy industry within the communities we serve.” 

Learn more about the winning companies and all of the Corporate Citizenship Award finalists at eei.org.

On a recent episode of the

Following is an abbreviated writeup of Anthony’s interview with EP, lightly edited for length and clarity. To catch up with other recent interviews, visit electricperspectives.com/podcast.

Electric Perspectives (EP): Tell us a little bit about your background.

Tyler Anthony (TA): I've spent more than three decades in the energy industry, with more than 20 years in nuclear and 15 years on the transmission and distribution side of the business. That perspective has shaped how I approach this role at Pepco Holdings, where we serve more than 2 million customers across Maryland, Delaware, New Jersey, and here in Washington, D.C., including some of the country's most critical government and institutional facilities.

We take that responsibility very seriously at Pepco. It's an honor to serve this area. Our mission is to deliver safe, reliable, and affordable power to these communities, and that includes ensuring continuity for the institutions that keep our region and our nation running.

We're doing all of this at a time when the energy landscape is undergoing, frankly, unprecedented change. In the last five years, we've seen more transformation than we had in the previous 50. From the rapid growth of data centers and electric vehicles to the impacts of climate change and evolving customer expectations, our grid is under more pressure than ever. 

At the same time, exciting opportunities are emerging. We're seeing a resurgence of interest in clean, baseload generation like nuclear. I'm looking forward to talking more about how we're responding to surging demand, especially from areas like AI and data centers, how we're investing in grid modernization to prepare for what's ahead, and how we're building the workforce needed to power this transformation in a way that's equitable and lasting.

EP: The rapid growth of AI and data centers is accelerating grid transformation. At the same time, the industry is navigating rising electricity demand and extreme weather events. How is Pepco developing long-term plans to power its communities in the face of all of these sometimes-competing dynamics?

TA: We're at an inflection point. The convergence of AI, data center growth, electrification, and extreme weather is transforming the energy system faster than anything I've seen in my 30-plus years in the industry. As an example, battery storage at scale in the United States is poised to more than double during the next two years and will close out 2026 at nearly 65 gigawatts (GW). When you put that in perspective, it's a rapid rise from the 17 GW in the first quarter projected for 2024. A gigawatt is roughly equivalent to building an entire nuclear power station.

At Pepco, we're focused on energy security as older baseload resources that operate 24/7 retire and new energy resources come online. We've retired all the fossil generation in New Jersey. We've just retired the last fossil plant in Delaware in December of last year. That just means the need for renewables will continue as we build these larger baseload, 24/7 resources.

We also are advocating for market and policy reforms that ensure large-scale users like data centers pay their fair share, and that customers aren't left shouldering the costs of rapid transformation. Both Pepco and Exelon Corporation support co-location of data centers with energy generation. We see that as a key part of the solution, but it has to be done responsibly. We need to ensure that it doesn't drive up costs for residents and small businesses while also helping position the United States to lead in the global race for AI.

This is all about national security. And, it's about striking the right balance between growth and accountability, innovation, and equality. As long as we're working together—electric companies, policymakers, regulators, as well as our partners in labor in our communities—we can solve these issues and continue to advance improvements to the grid. I can't stress enough the importance of partnerships.

This moment calls for urgency but also discipline. We can move fast and still do it the right way. 

EP: Can you tell us more about Pepco’s Capital Grid project?

TA: I mentioned the importance of partnerships. The Capital Grid project pulled all of our regional partnerships together to essentially set a foundation with our stakeholders to put a $1.6-billion investment in the future of energy in Washington, D.C.

It's going to serve as a springboard to our long-term strategy to enhance the energy grid. The project was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for our employees to work on something that is transformative for our customers, our communities, and our partners. It essentially puts 230 kilovolts 25 feet into the ground across the entire District of Columbia, increasing capacity and replacing aged infrastructure.

The Capital Grid project started in 2016, and we're quickly coming to its conclusion.

EP: Exelon, which is the parent company of Pepco, recently announced a $50-million charitable contribution to help customers in need of financial assistance across its network. Can you tell us about Pepco's role in this program and how it will help customers?

TA: This is one of the reasons I'm so proud to work for Exelon. We spend a great amount of time in our communities, and that builds a level of trust. What we've seen across the different jurisdictions, as supply costs have increased, is that our customers’ bills are increasing.

Exelon and companies like Pepco asked ourselves: What more can we do? How can we be part of the solution? This was a step in that direction—to say to our customers, ‘We're here for you.’ We're part of the broader community. It's very important that we show up when our customers are in need in any way that we can. This is another step in that direction—to build that trust with our community and our customers.

EP: What can you tell us about your focus on ensuring customer bills are as low as possible? 

TA: This is probably the top issue facing our industry, facing Exelon, and facing Pepco. We're taking it very seriously. Our relief fund is a big step in the right direction. However, there's a lot more going on behind the scenes as we try to drive costs down.

There are four areas that we're focused on currently. One is reforms on the supply side with the PJM Interconnection, looking at how we keep dispatchable resources affordable and available for customers.

The second is our internal costs, looking at how we keep these as low as possible and get the most out of every dollar we spend.

Third, we're working to educate customers. In our customer portal, customers can get weekly and daily updates on the energy they're using, how it compares over time, and how much they're spending. This keeps them more active, because nobody wants a surprise bill. In Washington, D.C., where temperatures can get close to 100 degrees this time of year, more energy will go toward running air conditioners. We have to keep customers informed and help them manage their energy.

Our fourth and final area of focus relates to our regulators and our partners and includes energy efficiency programs, energy efficiency audits, what we're doing around rate structure for low- to moderate-income customers, the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program and federal programs, and how we’re connecting all of this to customers. 

EEI President and CEO Drew Maloney and CEOs from four EEI member companies convened with industry, government, and technology leaders at the Pennsylvania Energy and Innovation Summit in Pittsburgh, where it was announced that the Commonwealth will see an influx of more than $90 billion in artificial intelligence (AI) and energy infrastructure investments in the coming years.

Maloney joined President Donald J. Trump, U.S. Senator Dave McCormick, U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright, Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro, and other senior officials at the event, which emphasized the essential role electricity plays in powering the nation’s economy and advancing technologies like AI.

“We applaud Senator McCormick for convening today’s event with President Trump and for shining a bright light on the critical role electricity plays in powering innovation and driving economic growth,” said Maloney. “The more than $90 billion in new investments announced today will help fund energy infrastructure projects, connect data centers as quickly as they are built, and create thousands of jobs. These types of investments highlight the commitment of America’s electric companies to delivering the reliable, affordable electricity that makes innovation possible.”

During the summit, EEI member company PPL Corporation announced the formation of a joint venture with Blackstone Infrastructure to build, own, and operate new natural gas-based, combined-cycle generation stations to power data centers under long-term energy services agreements with regulated-like risk profiles that do not expose the companies to merchant energy and capacity price volatility.

“We are committed to developing creative solutions to some of the most pressing challenges we face in today’s changing energy landscape. And in Blackstone Infrastructure, we’ve found a tremendous partner and long-term energy infrastructure investor that not only has deep expertise in data center development and power generation but also shares our passion to deliver America’s AI dominance and to help address resource adequacy concerns within PJM,” PPL President and CEO Vincent Sorgi said in a statement.

As the hometown electric company, Duquesne Light thanked the organizers of the summit and emphasized the company’s economic impact in Pittsburgh and throughout western Pennsylvania.

Five EEI member companies—Duquesne Light, FirstEnergy Corporation, PECO, PPL Electric Utilities, and UGI Utilities—collectively serve more than 5.9 million customers in Pennsylvania. Their investments in grid infrastructure in Pennsylvania are projected to more than double during the next four years to meet customer demand, boosting economic development and job growth in local communities.

Although future projections vary, experts agree that Pennsylvania’s and America’s appetite for electricity is only moving in one direction: up. Nationally, EEI member companies are projected to make more than $202 billion in grid investments this year alone.

“Through 2029, FirstEnergy is investing more than $28 billion in capital systemwide to modernize local distribution systems and strengthen the transmission network. In Pennsylvania, that includes spending $15 billion in the infrastructure enhancements, people, processes, and facilities needed to deliver safe, reliable power,” FirstEnergy Corporation Board Chair, President, and CEO Brian X. Tierney said in a statement. “This year alone, more than 40 new journey-level hires and apprentices will join our Pennsylvania team in well-paying, meaningful careers with long-term growth opportunity.”

Additionally:

• Duquesne Light plans to invest $2.7 billion during the next five years to upgrade the safety, reliability, and resilience of its service and grid infrastructure.
• PECO is investing approximately $9.3 billion during the next five years across its electric and natural gas systems to complete targeted system enhancements and corrective maintenance, invest in new equipment, inspect equipment, and perform enhanced tree trimming and other vegetation management. 
• PPL Electric Utilities, PPL’s regulated utility subsidiary in Pennsylvania, has made more than $13 billion in grid investments since 2013 and plans to invest nearly $7 billion more through 2028.
• Between the company’s 2023 and 2025 fiscal years, capital expenditures for UGI Utilities are projected to reach nearly $1.4 billion.

These investments allow electric companies to meet new and rising demand from data centers and AI technologies, industrialization and the reshoring of manufacturing activity, and the electrification of the transportation sector, among other drivers. Just last month, PECO committed to partnering with Amazon Web Services to support data center development in southeastern Pennsylvania.

Investor-owned electric companies also are increasingly embracing AI-enabled tools to power their operations, drive efficiency, and keep customer bills as low as possible. FirstEnergy is among several EEI member companies to use AI technology to inform its vegetation management strategy to help prevent wildfires and mitigate storm damage. Duquesne Light last year announced it would install an AI-powered system to help make underground grid maintenance safer and more efficient. 

This trend of electric company AI adoption extends well beyond Pennsylvania’s borders. Last month at EEI 2025, Southern California Edison was awarded the 97th Edison Award for its Advanced Waveform Anomaly Recognition system, which uses advanced sensors and AI models to detect faults and reduce the number and length of outages within SCE’s service territory. Learn more about the project and catch up on highlights from EEI’s annual thought leadership forum at eei.org/2025.

Atlantic City Electric, BGE, ComEd, Delmarva Power, and Pepco are accepting applications from customers seeking bill relief. PECO customers in the Philadelphia area will be able to apply for assistance beginning in August.

“Exelon understands that high energy bills, caused by increased supply costs, are extremely stressful for low- and middle-income customers—which includes many seniors, small business owners, and families experiencing challenges,” Exelon President and CEO and EEI Chair Calvin Butler said in a statement. “The Customer Relief Fund, in addition to our existing year-round programs supporting customers with energy assistance, once again demonstrates Exelon’s commitment to our communities.”

The $50-million fund has been spread across Exelon’s local energy companies, which are actively assisting customers who want more information about how they can access and apply for assistance.

Last month, Maryland Governor Wes Moore joined officials from BGE, Pepco, Delmarva Power, and nonprofit organizations including the United Way of Central Maryland, the Salvation Army, Harford Community Action Agency, and Shore UP! to announce that $19 million in assistance would be made available to limited- and middle-income customers in Maryland. 

“We need to work together to get them relief—and today, we are taking new actions to achieve exactly that,” Governor Moore said in a statement. “But, while this is an important step forward, it will not be the last.” 

The one-time fund is part of Exelon’s broader efforts to help customers manage their energy bills. Across the country, EEI’s member electric companies are offering energy efficiency programs to help customers reduce their energy use, working with state and local governments to develop new and innovative customer-centric programs, and offering billing assistance and flexible payment options to help customers manage costs. 

Visit EEI’s Energy Affordability hub for more information about what local resources may be available in your community, including eligibility for the federal Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program. And, learn about more than 100 ways to improve your electric bill, including energy efficiency updates and actions that you can take to help manage your bill.

On July 9, industry and labor leaders and representatives gathered at the Rayburn House Office Building to honor the brave men and women who help maintain America’s energy grid and power our nation. The Lineworker Appreciation Day Reception, held ahead of the annual National Lineworker Appreciation Day on July 10, celebrated workers’ commitment to service and dedication to their communities.

Representatives from the Edison Electric Institute (EEI), the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW), the National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA), and Pepco Holdings thanked the more than 150 members of Congress who cosponsored resolutions honoring lineworkers. The resolution was championed by U.S. Representatives Linda Sánchez (D-CA), Rob Bresnahan (R-PA), Donald Norcross (D-NJ), and Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA), and by U.S. Senators Kevin Cramer (R-ND) and Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV).

Those at the event also saluted lineworkers across the country, including those in attendance from Pepco (members of IBEW Local #1900) and Entergy (members of IBEW Local #2286).

“These brave men and women are the face of our industry. They are essential to keeping the lights on for the customers and the communities we proudly serve,” said EEI President and CEO Drew Maloney. “They're the first responders who head towards danger when others are moving away and work around the clock to restore power.”

Maloney also commended lineworkers for their role in helping advance EEI member companies’ collective vision for a safe, reliable, and secure energy future.

IBEW Utility Director Drew Stover recounted the life of Henry Miller, a union organizer, lineworker, and the first president of the IBEW, who died on July 10, 1896, while restoring power in Washington, D.C. National Lineworker Appreciation Day is observed on July 10 to honor his legacy.

“He would be proud that there has been so much progress—not just in safety conditions, but in the IBEW’s partnership with management and with elected officials to bring about those changes,” Stover said. “You all meet every challenge and literally power America.”

NECA CEO David Long thanked EEI and the IBEW for their partnership and emphasized efforts to improve worker safety. “We’ve been able to reduce accidents and deaths on the job, and we’ll continue to have an impact, because we want to make sure that each one of you goes home every day,” he said.

Pepco Holdings President and CEO Tyler Anthony thanked IBEW Local #1900 leaders for their partnership on workforce development programs, as well as the lineworkers in attendance for working long days and in challenging conditions to ensure reliability during recent storms and a severe heatwave. “These lineworkers put their skills to work every day, and they are committed to maintaining and improving critical grid infrastructure,” he said.

Be sure to #ThankALineworker today and every day for their unwavering dedication.

Dive into part one of the EEI 2025 highlights series on the latest Electric Perspectives podcast episode, featuring EEI Chair Calvin Butler, president and CEO of Exelon; Entergy Chair and CEO Drew Marsh; and Entergy Louisiana President and CEO Phillip May.

Congratulations to the 2025 Edison Award Winners!

Edison International and Southern California Edison are winners of the domestic Edison Award, and Fortis, Inc. has won the international Edison Award.

During EEI 2025, EEI interim President and CEO Pat Vincent-Collawn presented the 97th Edison Award, the electric power industry's highest honor.

The award is selected each year by a panel of former energy industry executives in recognition of distinguished leadership, innovation, and contributions to the advancement of the electric power industry. 

Learn more about this year's winners and finalists.

Left to right: Chris Harris, International Representative, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers; Eliecer Viamontes, President and CEO, Entergy Texas; Harry Sideris, President and CEO, Duke Energy; Michele O'Connell, President and CEO, Orange & Rockland Utilities; EEI Chair Maria Pope, President and CEO, Portland General Electric; and Chris Womack, President and CEO, Southern Company.

In late February, leaders from EEI and America’s investor-owned electric companies joined state regulators, technology leaders, government officials, consumer advocates, and other industry and regulatory stakeholders at the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners’ (NARUC’s) annual Winter Policy Summit in Washington, D.C.

“The purpose of this meeting is to assemble a group of key stakeholders to discuss the opportunities and challenges before us and how we can meet the demand that we are seeing in the electric power sector,” NARUC President and Georgia Public Service Commissioner Tricia Pridemore said during the summit’s opening session.

Throughout the four days of programming, more than 2,100 summit attendees heard about the considerable energy demand being generated by data centers and artificial intelligence (AI) technologies; physical, cyber, and weather-related threats to America’s critical energy infrastructure; and how electric companies are working with the regulatory community to power Americans’ lives and businesses and to keep customer costs as low as possible.

“NARUC was borne out of a noble idea, that the regulatory policies that were taking shape in Washington, D.C., couldn’t effectuate policy over such a large country,” said NARUC Executive Director Tony Clark. “What happens here directly affects affordability and the reliability of our system.”

Diverse Stakeholder Group Joins Demand Roundtable

New to the NARUC agenda this year was a Demand Roundtable discussion. The session convened more than 20 state commissioners, electric company executives, and technology leaders from Amazon, Google, Meta, Microsoft, and Walmart to discuss demand needs and to ensure industry and regulators are moving in lockstep to bring new technologies, generation, and transmission and distribution to the energy grid.

“We need speed, flexibility, and a willingness to be creative to find solutions for our customers,” Exelon Corporation Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Michael Innocenzo said during the discussion, noting the industry’s dual priorities of meeting new customer demand while prioritizing service for existing customers and communities. “We have an obligation to maintain a grid that is safe, reliable, and affordable. We do not want to overburden any segment of our customers.”

To open the session, participants were polled on a series of questions to gauge their near- and long-term concerns about meeting demand growth. Nearly 1 in 3 representatives from electric companies and state commissions said they were very concerned about increasing demand from data centers, while 54 percent said they were somewhat concerned. Nearly 1 in 4 said significant upgrades are needed to existing infrastructure in their service territories to support projected growth.

Participants also were asked to list the biggest challenges that they see related to data center demand, and several common answers emerged: timelines involved with building new infrastructure, supply chain concerns, tariffs and cost allocation, and risks associated with first-of-a-kind technologies.

“There is substantial first-mover risk. Some of the investments we’re talking about are larger than entire companies,” said Duke Energy Senior Vice President for Pricing and Customer Solutions Lon Huber. “You can’t bet your company on these sorts of technologies. You can’t bet your service territory. There has to be some kind of partnership to support these technologies and ensure that electric companies aren’t solely bearing the risk.”

Unity of Effort and Message in Mutual Assistance

The first full day of the summit began with a discussion about mutual assistance and the power of partnership, moderated by Southern Company Chairman, President, and CEO Chris Womack and featuring International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers International Representative Chris Harris; Orange and Rockland President and CEO Michele O’Connell; EEI Chair Maria Pope, president and CEO of Portland General Electric (PGE); Duke Energy President Harry Sideris; and Entergy Texas Chair, President, and CEO Eliecer Viamontes.

“It is so important that we are starting this meeting with a discussion about mutual assistance,” said Womack. “This clearly demonstrates the role of what we do, the value of what we do, and it speaks to the value that we bring to customers and communities.”

Sideris and Viamontes discussed an active 2024 hurricane season, which included Hurricane Beryl’s impacts on Texas and Hurricanes Helene’s and Milton’s devastation to the Southeast. Sideris, whose hometown of Asheville, N.C., saw catastrophic damage from Helene, noted the storms impacted Duke Energy’s service territories across all six states that the company serves. He said the storm “caused the most damage that we’ve ever seen,” and he praised the army of mutual assistance workers who deployed to North and South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida to assist with storm response and recovery.

“There was a tremendous response from the industry, and it’s really in the DNA of our lineworkers and our companies. We had employees who lost homes and family members and came to work the next day to restore power,” Sideris said.

Viamontes stressed the importance of proactive communication with local officials and customers during storm response efforts, noting that Entergy Texas actively engaged with local media and held daily calls with elected officials during Beryl.

O’Connell was one of several on the panel who urged the regulatory community to support efforts to harden the grid and to make it more weather resilient, citing Orange and Rockland’s investments totaling $1 billion during the past 10 years in undergrounding overhead lines and installing submersible equipment.

Pope emphasized that wildfire mutual assistance is in many ways different from traditional storm response efforts but that some principles touted by other panelists still apply. She highlighted the use of early detection AI cameras and the increasing use of public safety power shutoffs in the West as efforts that potentially can mitigate catastrophic wildfires, as well as the need to engage with local officials to promote transparency.

“I never thought I’d know the chiefs of police in as many of our jurisdictions as I do today,” Pope said. “Unity of effort and unity of message are a hallmark of what we do in this industry. Mutual assistance demands leadership and coming together, not pointing fingers.”

‘Power Shifting to the States’

EEI Executive Vice President for Regulatory Affairs and International Programs Phil Moeller spoke during a series of events that EEI hosted on the sidelines of the summit, including at the EEI Women’s Breakfast. Moeller delivered remarks before and after a panel discussion about the industry’s commitment to reducing serious injuries and fatalities, moderated by Con Edison Vice President of Environment, Health, and Safety Venetia Lannon. The panel featured International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Fourth District International Vice President Gina Cooper, American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations President Liz Shuler, Minnesota Public Utilities Commission Chair Katie Sieben, and Pepco Holdings Chief Operating Officer Tamla Olivier.

The session featured panelists’ insights on recent trends, strategies to minimize incidents, the introduction of innovative safety metrics, and how a collaborative safety culture can support these efforts. The group discussed how to get at the heart of what causes incidents, how to implement effective reporting structures, and the importance of ongoing workforce training initiatives that help ensure safety.

“Zero incidents for our employees and our contractors, and zero public safety events: That’s always our goal,” Olivier said during the discussion.

Moeller also joined a NARUC Committee on Energy Resources and the Environment session, offering his federal policy predictions for 2025 and beyond.

He saw “an interesting dynamic of power shifting to the states, which we’re seeing through the actions of the Administration and the actions of Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) Chairman Mark Christie.” That power shift, Moeller said, would require states within the same regions to work together more closely to avoid creating patchwork regulatory frameworks.

“That takes time. That takes trust. Putting the effort in to bridge regional differences will be important,” he said.

Moeller also stressed the need for more dynamic rate structures that send better price signals to customers, the importance of customer education and engagement, and the progress that the industry has made on workforce development and skills training initiatives.

“That issue really used to worry me when I served on FERC. I’m more comfortable now that there’s a lot more going on,” he said, highlighting EEI’s work with groups like Veterans in Energy and the Center for Energy Workforce Development.

Left to right: Mark Birk, Chairman and President, Ameren Missouri; EEI Vice Chair Calvin Butler, President and CEO, Exelon Corporation; Steve Fleishman, Managing Director and Senior Analyst, Wolfe Research; Michael Haggarty, Associate Managing Director, Moody's Ratings; Teresa Ho Kim, Managing Director, J.P. Morgan Asset Management; NARUC President Tricia Pridemore, Commissioner, Georgia Public Service Commission.

‘It’s Not Just About Demand Growth’

Several EEI member company CEOs joined NARUC sessions later in the week, including NiSource President and CEO Lloyd Yates, who participated in a fireside chat with Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission Chairman Stephen DeFrank. Yates discussed the industry’s emphasis on an all-of-the-above energy strategy and his optimism for hydrogen blending, small modular nuclear reactors (SMRs), and other emerging energy solutions.

“This is a huge economic development opportunity for this country. It’s a huge national security issue for this country,” Yates said. “We have to continue to put resources into nuclear and making SMRs work. We have to blend in renewables. Transmission investments are so important. And, we need more natural gas infrastructure. The energy transition looks different in every state, so you need to do the work and bring everyone to the table in every state.”

Later in the week, Ameren Missouri Chairman and President Mark Birk and EEI Vice Chair Calvin Butler, president and CEO of the Exelon Corporation, participated in a conversation about industry access to capital, joining Wolfe Research Senior Analyst Steve Fleishman, Moody’s Ratings Associate Managing Director Michael Haggarty, and J.P. Morgan Asset Management Managing Director Teresa Ho Kim.

Birk highlighted the need for proactive communication with regulators and members of the financial community, noting that Ameren Missouri regularly hosts power plant and facility tours to help stakeholders understand the size and scale of investments needed.

“If you’re able to show that the projects you’re working on directly benefit customers, and you can show the why, it makes it easier to work with regulators and with investors,” he said.

Butler noted that the electric power industry is the most capital-intensive in the country, with grid infrastructure investments totaling tens of billions of dollars each year. He said telling that story can be difficult sometimes because “we’re investing in things we hope you will never feel, like security.”

“It’s not just about demand growth. It’s about providing a system that everyone in this room can come to depend on. We all need to keep our eyes on the ball and stay on top of that,” Butler said.

In November, the Exelon Foundation and PECO partnered with the Cal Ripken, Sr. Foundation (Ripken Foundation) to open a new state-of-the-art center supporting science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) opportunities for students at the Tinicum School outside of Philadelphia.

The center will provide STEM education and training to more than 300 local students and is the latest partnership between Exelon, its local electric companies, and the Ripken Foundation to expand learning opportunities to elementary and middle school students, particularly those in disadvantaged communities.

The Exelon Foundation donated $3 million last year to support the opening of 81 STEM Centers across the country. The Tinicum School’s center is the 27th that Exelon has supported and the first of seven planned for PECO’s service territory.

“Exelon is proud to partner with the Ripken Foundation on this venture because we have been interested and invested in STEM education for a long time, and for good reason,” said EEI Vice Chair Calvin Butler, president and CEO of the Exelon Corporation. “The energy industry is facing some significant challenges—from climate change to cyber security—and we need the skills and expertise that students will gain in a STEM center. Our goal is that these students will one day bring those skills to Exelon.”

Butler attended a ribbon-cutting ceremony with Cal Ripken, Jr., a co-founder of the foundation and a Major League Baseball Hall of Famer, and other officials before attending a demonstration that allowed Tinicum students to show off the new tools and resources available through the STEM center.

“Seeing the students react to the new STEM center in their school is always special,” said Ripken, Jr. “Calvin Butler and the Exelon Foundation have been incredibly generous partners and with their support we have made a tremendous impact on kids here in the Philadelphia area and nationwide.”

Exelon has a long history of supporting STEM education and helping to develop the next generation of the energy workforce. Each summer, the company hosts free, week-long STEM academies in Baltimore, Chicago, Philadelphia, and Washington, D.C. Many of these academies have been specifically designed for high school girls from underserved communities. Through its Corporate Scholars program, Exelon also supports students bound for historically black colleges and universities, offering scholarship recipients $25,000 in need-based financial aid each year for four years.

“We believe it’s our responsibility to ensure a better future for all. This guides me every day in my work as CEO,” Butler told Electric Perspectives in a recent profile.

Read more about Butler, Exelon, and the company’s philanthropic work in our Spring 2024 issue.

Electric Perspectives (EP): You have said that a company's success can be measured by the positive impact it has on customers and communities. How does that perspective guide you, not only as you lead Exelon, but also in your role leading the industry as EEI vice chair?

Calvin Butler (CB): The opportunity to positively impact individuals and communities is one of the reasons I’m so grateful to serve as president and CEO of Exelon. 

Exelon proudly serves some of our country’s largest and most diverse metropolitan areas—places such as Atlantic City, N.J.; Baltimore; Philadelphia; Washington, D.C.; Wilmington, Del.; and Chicago. These are cities rich with talent and full of hardworking, creative people who contribute so much to our society.

However, the fact remains that many of these communities experience higher rates of poverty and significantly higher rates of unemployment than the national average, due largely to racial and economic inequities.

Exelon’s primary focus is leading the clean energy transformation. While doing that, we are focused on helping our communities become cleaner, healthier, and more equitable places to live and to work. We believe it’s our responsibility to ensure a better future for all. This guides me every day in my work as CEO.

I’ll give you some examples of how we’re making a difference:

• We launched a $36-million Community Impact Capital Fund to support businesses that have challenges accessing capital—all of them located in under-resourced areas of our companies’ jurisdictions. The fund has invested about $10 million to date, providing estimated loans between $100,000 and $600,000 and equity investments of up to $2 million.
• Each summer, we hold free, weeklong science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) academies in the Baltimore, Chicago, Philadelphia, and Washington, D.C., metro areas. To date, the academies have served roughly 1,000 high school girls from underserved communities, providing exposure to STEM careers. This year, we’re expanding the program to include a STEM academy for boys to ensure we reach all of our young people.
• We support historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) through our Corporate Scholars program, which provides students $25,000 in need-based financial aid each year for four years. I’m proud to say we’ve contributed $15 million to HBCUs in our service areas to date.
• We spent more than $3 billion with diversity-certified businesses in 2023, representing 39 percent of our total enterprise-wide spend. This has long been a priority for Exelon, and I am proud that EEI’s Business Diversity Program has been connecting America’s electric companies with diverse suppliers for more than four decades.

Even in philanthropic giving, we are committed to uplifting underserved groups and communities. More than $40.2 million—90 percent—of the grants Exelon, our operating companies, and the Exelon Foundation issued in 2022 supported nonprofits, programs, and events specifically targeted to diverse populations.

In 2023, we invested more than $18 million in support of 90 different workforce development programs across the company to bring economic equity, empowerment, and employment opportunity to the communities that we serve.

We do this because it’s an inextricable part of who we are as a company. And, it makes good business sense. Our customers are key to our business growth and success. When they thrive, we thrive. Through our involvement with EEI, I know that all of our member companies are working hard on the energy transformation. The promise of a clean energy future must be fulfilled for all of our communities. No one can be left in the dark.

“Our customers are key to our business growth and success. When they thrive, we thrive.”

EP: Having assumed the role of Exelon president and CEO a little more than a year ago, what can you say about your experience leading one of the largest electric companies in the United States?

CB: It has certainly been quite a year, and I mean that in the best way. If there is one word to describe my first year as CEO—taking over from a longtime leader, the late Chris Crane, just after we separated from our retail and generation business—it would be “commitment.”

I made a commitment to Exelon's 20,000 employees that I would keep them engaged in important and fulfilling work—and keep them safe while doing so. We have a commitment to our customers to keep the lights on and the natural gas flowing reliably and affordably.

I have a commitment to our Board and our shareholders to protect our balance sheet and to meet or exceed our company targets and goals. I am proud that ComEd and Pepco operated at record lows for outage frequency and duration last year. And, all three of our natural gas companies—Baltimore Gas and Electric (BGE), Delmarva Power, and PECO—remained in the top 10 percent for gas odor response. 

I also made a commitment to myself that I would always remember that this position is not about me. It’s about what I can do for others. That’s a huge responsibility, but it’s also an honor. Since assuming this role, I’ve had the opportunity to share Exelon’s customer and community commitments with civic leaders in Philadelphia and nonprofit advocates in Chicago.

I met with governors from across the country as they gathered in Atlantic City for the National Governors Association’s annual conference, and I shared ideas on building economic equity with business leaders in Baltimore. I have had the privilege of talking with national media outlets about Exelon’s financial strength as a standalone transmission and delivery company; our unwavering commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI); and how we plan to lead the clean energy transformation.

However, my best days have been spent meeting with my team across the company, hearing about employees’ priorities and sharing with them just how committed I am to their success. 

As we entered 2024, going into my second year as CEO, we introduced a new theme to drive our work: The Power of Impact. I’m committed to realizing that power.

Butler speaks with Maryland Governor Wes Moore at EEI’s 2024 Spring Board of Directors and Chief Executives meeting.

EP: In announcing your role as EEI vice chair, you emphasized your commitment to an equitable clean energy transition. What does that mean to you, and what can the industry do to ensure equity?

CB: What drives me as Exelon’s CEO is putting more energy in equity and more equity in energy. I want the entire industry to join me in these efforts. As we build a clean energy future, we must do so in a way that benefits underserved and diverse communities—women, people of color, and other groups that traditionally have been left out. 

What’s important to keep in mind is that equity isn’t the same thing as equality. Equity means providing each person the exact resources and opportunities needed to reach an equal outcome—even if those resources or opportunities look different from person-to-person, or from group-to-group. 

Let me give you an example: The American Lung Association has released air quality reports for different communities. Over the years, they’ve found that the burden of air pollution is not evenly shared. Poor people, people who live in lower-income and racially diverse communities, and certain ethnic groups often face higher exposure to pollutants, suffer more from asthma, and even have a higher risk of premature death from polluted air. 

The studies point to decades of residential segregation, noting that African Americans tend to live where there is greater exposure to air pollution. These same communities also are often disproportionately impacted by climate change. When we as an industry are focused on the clean energy transformation—even though we all want to get to the same outcome—we can’t treat those communities and groups the same as we would other communities that have been less impacted by historical burdens. 

Exelon and its affiliates have been working on a range of equity-minded initiatives to accelerate the clean energy transition and improve air quality, including helping our regions secure federal grants. One area that we are focused on is the electrification of transportation and, specifically, school buses. If we replaced all of the diesel-powered school buses in the United States with electric school buses, we would reduce our annual emissions by 9 million metric tons. That’s the equivalent of taking 2 million cars off the road.

So far, nine school districts across Exelon’s service areas have received more than $40 million in grant funding to electrify more than 100 buses. Equity means serving those school districts and communities strategically to attain equal outcomes.

As we move toward greater electrification, we should ask ourselves: Are we ensuring that all of our communities are benefiting? Are we installing charging infrastructure in limited-income communities, or only in wealthy ones? Are job applicants from underserved and under-resourced communities being trained to be the electric vehicle mechanics we’ll need in the future? The environmental and resilience benefits of electrification are important. Issues of access and equity should be equally important to all of us. 

When we tolerate disparities—when we overlook imbalances of resources and opportunities in the name of equality—we limit progress for individuals, communities, cities, and our industry. That impedes progress for all of us. Unfortunately, I have found that some people see equity as a zero-sum game. Prioritizing one underserved group may be seen as coming at the expense of another. That kind of thinking is detrimental to our collective progress.

EP: What is your view on the industry's role in balancing customer affordability with the critical investments that are needed to build next-generation infrastructure, to enhance energy grid security and resilience, and to integrate a growing fleet of renewable energy sources?

CB: Exelon’s priority always is reliable and resilient service. Exelon serves customers in rural, urban, and coastal communities and across the economic spectrum, and each jurisdiction is different and has its own objectives set by policymakers. 

Our focus on equity and affordability shows up in several ways:

• We work with our local regulatory bodies to develop rate-making processes that balance customer affordability with our need to make critical upgrades to the energy grid.
• We identify smart investments, where a single project can address multiple priorities. We also need to remember that some investments, like transmission, can facilitate lower costs or enable renewable energy for a larger geographic area.
• We prioritize programs that enable customer savings through home energy audits, lighting discounts, appliance recycling, home improvement rebates, equipment upgrade incentives, and innovative programs like smart thermostats and combined heat-and-power programs.
• We connect customers with assistance. In 2023 alone, Exelon helped connect approximately 470,500 customers to $476.5 million in energy assistance—$186.4 million of which came from the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program. 

Historically, each of Exelon’s companies has maintained customer bill averages that are lower than the national average. That is the result of prudent, customer-driven investment and disciplined cost management. We take an integrated approach to making the best use of quality existing assets, including gas pipes and electric wires, to minimize transition costs to our customers and total system costs over time. This helps to ensure that efforts to reduce carbon emissions do not limit energy access or affordability. 

We also try to design initiatives, programs, and services to meet the needs of limited- and moderate-income households. Dedicated programs for limited-income energy efficiency and community solar—and electric transportation options, including school buses and public transportation—help ensure equitable access to clean energy resources.

Butler visits a Baltimore-area middle school to advance science, technology, engineering, and math education opportunities.

EP: Exelon and its subsidiaries span several different states and jurisdictions. Can you speak to the challenges and opportunities that electric companies may face when serving such a large and diverse service territory?

CB: We serve 10.5 million customers in five states and Washington, D.C., through six local energy delivery companies. We serve some of the largest and most diverse metropolitan regions in the United States, but we also serve large swaths of rural America, customers in landlocked farming communities, and coastal areas in Delaware, Maryland, and New Jersey. We must have a multi-faceted and inclusive approach to everything we do and every decision that we make. 

However, each jurisdiction has different priorities and timelines. Our governmental and regulatory affairs teams work very closely with stakeholders across local governments, commissions, and community groups to understand their needs and to align them with our business plans.

This can be challenging. What is tremendously helpful is the way we share learnings across our company. For example, Pepco, which serves customers in and around Washington, D.C., was our first local energy company to file a multi-year plan for gradual rate increases. This offers long-term certainty and benefits for our customers as we continue making infrastructure investments that support their needs.

BGE was able to learn from those efforts to adapt a plan for customers in central Maryland. We later went on to propose a multi-year plan in Illinois, and, although the initial regulatory response was not what we had hoped, the learnings from our other jurisdictions were key in helping our team at ComEd regroup and file a new plan, which we hope will meet the needs of our customers and the state’s clean energy and equity goals while preserving ComEd’s nation-leading reliability.

Across the country, our customers must be our focus. At Exelon, we are prioritizing our investments to deliver on customer needs and the goals of the communities and states that we serve. As an industry, we all must do our part, both individually and collaboratively.

With rising geopolitical concerns from the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East to rising tensions with China it is more important than ever that we continue to refine our existing security strategies while adding new tools to the toolbox.

“We must have a multi-faceted and inclusive approach to everything we do and every decision that we make.”

EP: Service is a hallmark of leaders in this industry. And, it has been a hallmark of your career. How has service made a difference in shaping you as a person and a leader?

CB: I want to make sure that my influence in this role helps others, whether that’s through serving on boards that are working to change the industry for the better—such as the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Argonne National Laboratories—or in community-focused organizations—such as the Cal Ripken, Sr. Foundation (Ripken Foundation), which is creating opportunities for young people in need to develop valuable life skills.

We recently announced the launch of a three-year educational initiative between the Exelon Foundation and the Ripken Foundation, aimed at developing the next generation of STEM experts and future energy leaders. Through a $3-million partnership, we will open 81 STEM centers—with 3D printers, robotics, and other advanced technologies—in schools across Maryland and Washington, D.C. 

I hope that my passion for service is evident in the way I give members of my team the guidance and tools that they need to succeed—and then let them grow, develop, and ultimately thrive. I want them to be empowered to serve others, as well.

As a young professional, one of the people I looked to as a role model was Reginald F. Lewis, the first African American man to build a billion-dollar company. He was a giant in the business world. But, he also was incredibly generous and had a heart for service. He donated millions of dollars to nonprofits and educational institutions. His hard work continues to leave a legacy.

What’s gratifying for me is the thought that, when I retire—which will be a long time from now—I will be able to look back on the work we did at Exelon and the organizations I’ve contributed to and feel good about how we’ve changed communities and changed lives.

There are many other great examples of DEI programs and initiatives throughout the industry. What is clear is our shared commitment to developing the workforce that we need to deliver a resilient clean energy future.

"I want to make sure that my influence in this role helps others," Butler says.

EP: Last year, you attended a cross-sector White House CEO meeting to discuss U.S. economic growth. How do you view our industry’s role in the U.S. economy, and what is your perspective on industry-government partnership?

CB: It was a tremendous honor to represent Exelon at a meeting hosted by President Joe Biden last year. He invited a handful of company executives to discuss how we can help everyday Americans thrive in today’s economic environment. Going into the meeting, I didn’t know that the president was going to meet with us in the Oval Office rather than the Roosevelt Room. I was honored and humbled to sit alongside so many titans in the business world, such as Ken Chenault, the former CEO of American Express, who was one of the few African Americans in such a role at the time.

Having a seat at the table not only offered Exelon a platform for sharing our viewpoints—it also was a coveted opportunity to partner with government leaders at the highest level. The president devoted almost two hours to discussing the economic factors that impact all Americans and how the government and private sector can partner to develop solutions for building a stronger economy. 

I appreciated the opportunity—and I recognized in the moment that I wasn’t in that room as just Calvin Butler. I was representing Exelon’s 20,000 employees and our more than 10 million customers. I was representing all of EEI’s member companies. That’s quite a privilege and a tremendous responsibility.

That meeting came after the passage of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the Inflation Reduction Act, both of which created tremendous opportunities to accelerate infrastructure investments and hasten the clean energy transition. Those two bills incentivize jurisdictions to aggressively pursue climate goals. Last year, Exelon submitted funding and grant applications totaling nearly $700 million to DOE, which would support 10 critical grid infrastructure projects across the country and potentially create more than 7,800 jobs.

The electric power industry supports more than 7 million jobs in communities across the United States. Our role in the economy is a major one, and we directly and indirectly support so many good-paying positions that require skills and technical expertise but may not require a four-year degree.

EP: What does our industry need to do to foster the diverse and talented workforce that will be necessary as we pursue a resilient clean energy future?

CB: We have a responsibility to help attract and retain a skilled, diverse workforce—not just here at Exelon, but across the industry. Our commitment to inclusion is shaped by who we are and who we serve. We use a comprehensive approach to drive a diverse, equitable, and inclusive culture within our communities by choosing to work with partners who share our core values—extending to our vendors, our consultants, and even our charitable grant recipients. It is through these efforts that we provide superior service to our customers.

When inclusion is woven into the mission, vision, and business practices of a company, it will be sustained over time. When it is treated as a nice-to-have initiative or program, it will not yield the results intended. As with many things in the world of business, culture change begins at the top. We prioritized inclusion as a core value at Exelon over the years. And, I can tell you, it has made a difference.

We require diverse slates of candidates in our recruiting process and diverse interview panels. We support well-funded employee resource groups, each led by a sponsor at the executive level. And, we pride ourselves in creating a work environment where all employees are encouraged and feel safe to bring their best professional selves to work. We measure these sorts of cultural impacts, like we would anything else that matters to us.

We also prioritize external workforce development. We invest in local communities to help build the skills necessary for the jobs today and for the energy workforce of the future. Since 2019, when we realigned our companywide workforce development strategy, our efforts have helped support the hiring of more than 1,800 people who live in communities served by Exelon into positions at our local energy companies or with our contractors. These are well-paying, family-sustaining positions.

Exelon is going all-in to bring about change, and the entire energy industry must join us. In an industry that offers so many opportunities to make a difference—through electric power generation, transmission and distribution, energy storage, energy efficiency, cybersecurity, data analytics, customer experience, fleet electrification, and so much more—our industry should, can, and must be a strategic disruptor to economic inequities in our communities.

As we enter a critical new era—where the type of energy that we generate and deliver, and the way we deliver it, is evolving at a rapid pace—we will see more change in the next 10 years than we have seen in the last 100 years. That makes this a truly exciting and transformational time to be in this industry. EP